New International Version | NET Bible |
1In my thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. | 1In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles at the Kebar River, the heavens opened and I saw a divine vision. |
2On the fifth of the month--it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin-- | 2(On the fifth day of the month--it was the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's exile-- |
3the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, by the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians. There the hand of the LORD was on him. | 3the word of the LORD came to the priest Ezekiel the son of Buzi, at the Kebar River in the land of the Babylonians. The hand of the LORD came on him there). |
4I looked, and I saw a windstorm coming out of the north--an immense cloud with flashing lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The center of the fire looked like glowing metal, | 4As I watched, I noticed a windstorm coming from the north--an enormous cloud, with lightning flashing, such that bright light rimmed it and came from it like glowing amber from the middle of a fire. |
5and in the fire was what looked like four living creatures. In appearance their form was human, | 5In the fire were what looked like four living beings. In their appearance they had human form, |
6but each of them had four faces and four wings. | 6but each had four faces and four wings. |
7Their legs were straight; their feet were like those of a calf and gleamed like burnished bronze. | 7Their legs were straight, but the soles of their feet were like calves' feet. They gleamed like polished bronze. |
8Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. All four of them had faces and wings, | 8They had human hands under their wings on their four sides. As for the faces and wings of the four of them, |
9and the wings of one touched the wings of another. Each one went straight ahead; they did not turn as they moved. | 9their wings touched each other; they did not turn as they moved, but went straight ahead. |
10Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle. | 10Their faces had this appearance: Each of the four had the face of a man, with the face of a lion on the right, the face of an ox on the left and also the face of an eagle. |
11Such were their faces. They each had two wings spreading out upward, each wing touching that of the creature on either side; and each had two other wings covering its body. | 11Their wings were spread out above them; each had two wings touching the wings of one of the other beings on either side and two wings covering their bodies. |
12Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went. | 12Each moved straight ahead--wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went. |
13The appearance of the living creatures was like burning coals of fire or like torches. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it. | 13In the middle of the living beings was something like burning coals of fire or like torches. It moved back and forth among the living beings. It was bright, and lightning was flashing out of the fire. |
14The creatures sped back and forth like flashes of lightning. | 14The living beings moved backward and forward as quickly as flashes of lightning. |
15As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces. | 15Then I looked, and I saw one wheel on the ground beside each of the four beings. |
16This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like topaz, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel. | 16The appearance of the wheels and their construction was like gleaming jasper, and all four wheels looked alike. Their structure was like a wheel within a wheel. |
17As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not change direction as the creatures went. | 17When they moved they would go in any of the four directions they faced without turning as they moved. |
18Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around. | 18Their rims were high and awesome, and the rims of all four wheels were full of eyes all around. |
19When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose. | 19When the living beings moved, the wheels beside them moved; when the living beings rose up from the ground, the wheels rose up too. |
20Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. | 20Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise up beside them because the spirit of the living being was in the wheel. |
21When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. | 21When the living beings moved, the wheels moved, and when they stopped moving, the wheels stopped. When they rose up from the ground, the wheels rose up from the ground; the wheels rose up beside them because the spirit of the living being was in the wheel. |
22Spread out above the heads of the living creatures was what looked something like a vault, sparkling like crystal, and awesome. | 22Over the heads of the living beings was something like a platform, glittering awesomely like ice, stretched out over their heads. |
23Under the vault their wings were stretched out one toward the other, and each had two wings covering its body. | 23Under the platform their wings were stretched out, each toward the other. Each of the beings also had two wings covering its body. |
24When the creatures moved, I heard the sound of their wings, like the roar of rushing waters, like the voice of the Almighty, like the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings. | 24When they moved, I heard the sound of their wings--it was like the sound of rushing waters, or the voice of the Almighty, or the tumult of an army. When they stood still, they lowered their wings. |
25Then there came a voice from above the vault over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. | 25Then there was a voice from above the platform over their heads when they stood still. |
26Above the vault over their heads was what looked like a throne of lapis lazuli, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. | 26Above the platform over their heads was something like a sapphire shaped like a throne. High above on the throne was a form that appeared to be a man. |
27I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. | 27I saw an amber glow like a fire enclosed all around from his waist up. From his waist down I saw something that looked like fire. There was a brilliant light around it, |
28Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking. | 28like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds after the rain. This was the appearance of the surrounding brilliant light; it looked like the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I threw myself face down, and I heard a voice speaking. |
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